Hero's Lost Between
by baby-kitsune9
Summary: During his time traipsing around the multi verse, Peter met many new and interesting hero's to make friends with. One of which was Tsunade. A being older than Gods, as ageless as time- feared by her people as a monster because of her power- the last thing he expected was for her to keep the promise she made if he fell. Rated M OC story. R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_How did it come to this?_ He wondered as he cast a quick glance in his Aunt's direction to his left where she had her back pressed up against the barrier that Doc. Oc had placed around the rest of the super hero's who had come from far and wide just to attend Shield's graduation for his class.

The next generation of super hero's.

And he, Spider-man, was of course now the only person with super powers whom was free to fight back and hopefully break the barrier before it crushed everyone behind him into a mass of super goo.

His lungs burned, his muscles were aching and bruised from being knocked around by Oc. Several of his teeth had been loosened, from one or two of the blows he'd taken to the face and he was bleeding from various gnashes and cuts and scratches all over his body and part of his mask was now gone.

Showing his shaggy brown bangs and one of his dark brown eyes.

"Peter?" His Aunt said as she started to come over to him but he was forced to wave her away, afraid that she would be injured by Oc's next move if he let her come to him. After all Dr. Octavious wasn't the sort of ruthless person to simply let an innocent bystander escape harm if they got in his way.

And Peter knew that he wouldn't hesitate to injure or kill his Aunt May if he let him.

And after all of the friends and innocents that had sacrificed themselves to help make him who he was today- he absolutely couldn't let that happen.

Not to one single person he knew.

He could feel his heart stuttering in his chest slightly, as if it were struggling to stay beating as his spider sense began to tingle and he saw the next few moment's events unfold in his mind's eye. Telling him what he had hoped to avoid. That the impossible was going to happen.

He was going to die.

Here today. In front of all of his friends and his Aunt. The knowledge should have terrified him, but oddly enough, it didn't. It just made him sad to know that he was leaving everyone behind once again.

Blinking back the tears that were threatening to escape his uncovered eye, he glanced over his shoulder real quick at everyone. His friends, classmates, and fellow hero's and took a quick moment to memorize each of their faces.

The Hulk, his favorite green smash buddy. Iron-man, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawk-eye, and Thor. Black Bolt and his Queen Medusa.

Doctor Strange.

Nova- though he would never admit it, knowing that he was leaving behind a friendly rival like him bothered him greatly. Iron-fist, White-tiger, Power Man.

And then there were the other spidey's. His team in training, The Web Warriors. Scarlet Spider, Spider-girl, Iron spider ect... It was his duty and job to protect each and every one of them, and in just moments he was going to fail at that. The mere thought that any of them could get injured or worse after he perished should have angered him enough to fight through this.

But in a moment before his anger could so much as stir, he felt something else and slight stirring in the back of his mind that was familiar to him as he heard a soft almost raspy feminine voice say, _"The pact will be honored the moment your heart stops beating, Peter."_

Blinking for a moment as he tried to process who had spoken to him, he vaguely recalled about a year ago when he would up going into the multi verse, he had met someone in one of the parallel universes.

A girl whom, while she didn't exactly have Spidey power's- was supposed to be an alternate version of himself. And before he had left her world, he had seen exactly what she could do as a hero.

And he had to say, knowing that the pact that they had made before he had left would still be honored even now after so much had happened, brought him much more comfort. It was difficult to explain really. She simply had a very comforting presence.

Well...when she wasn't being super awkward that is.

Turning to his Aunt and his friends completely this time, he decided to give them his final words. He couldn't make this a long goodbye given how he was going to die in a few more seconds, but he could pass on a message or two to specific individuals.

"Aunt May, everyone- Something terrible is about to happen. I don't have time to go into the specifics, just know that wherever I am- wherever I go, I'm happy that I had the chance to meet all of you. When my replacement comes...you'll need to watch her back like you watched mine." Reaching out to May with one hand while reaching up and removing what was left of his mask while he could since he knew that _she_ wouldn't like wearing a mask for any reason. He made quick work of removing it and pressing the clothe into his Aunt's hands as he said, "I need you to close your eyes and no matter what you hear- don't open them. You aren't going to want to see this."

He saw a flicker of something in the expressions of the other hero's out of the corner of his eye.

Captain America, Black Widow, Hawk-Eye, Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Nova, Scarlet Spider, Black Bolt and his Queen, and wished that he could say more. But no sooner than he managed to get his Aunt to close her eyes- he felt one of Doc Oc's tentacles rip through the flesh and bone of his torso with enough jarring force to send him crashing into the barrier around the others as each person there screamed and shouted in either outrage, anger and horror.

And the next thing he knew was the tentacle was tearing it's way back out of the opening it had made in his chest, and then there was...

(**************************************************************************************************)

May heard the series of shouting and screaming and got a feeling of dread and against her nephew's wishes to the contrary, opened her eyes to see what was going on and saw something that terrified her and left her cold and out of breath.

There suspended above the ground, barely a foot in a half away from her with a tentacle protruding from his chest, was...Peter?

(**************************************************************************************************)

She felt it the moment that his heart stopped, even worlds away she _knew_ what had happened to him, she felt it resonate in the pain she felt in her own body. After all, she was him and he was she. Sort of.

Acting quickly since the two only had a small window of time to act before their chance would pass them by, she glanced back at her older brother and adopted uncle. "You know what to do once I'm gone." It wasn't a question. They to would have only a slim window of opportunity to heal Peter so that he could live to return to his own world one day.

"We know." Her brother said. His vivid vermilion eyes a mirror reflection of her own violet.

"Now stop fretting and go before it's too late." Her uncle chimed in as she stared at them for a second and then turned back to the alter where she needed to be when she perished since it's magic would use her blood as a conduit to open a portal to Peter Parker's world and allow the two of them to switch places.


	2. Chapter 2

_"Peter!"_ May screamed in horror as her nephew's body slowly pitched sideways and started to fall the moment that Dr. Octavious's tentacle was viciously yanked from the teen's chest. Spattering blood all over the ground. There was a roaring sound, almost as if her blood had rushed to her ears as she tried to scramble across the ground to catch Peter before he hit the ground.

She barely managed to make it half way to him where there was suddenly a loud **_Boom_** from overhead and she was suddenly blinded by a blindingly brilliant light and screamed in fear as her body was thrown back a good fifteen or more feet.

May lay on the ground, shivering violently as she tried to get her bearings.

Meanwhile behind her she could hear several of her nephew's friends beating their hands against the barrier imprisoning them as they shouted and yelled out to her in alarm. Time seemed to slow even further, coming to a crawl for several moments before the light faded away.

And there, almost twenty feet away, stood Peter- or at least May assumed that it was her nephew due to the fact that whoever it was, was wearing his bloody Spiderman outfit. The red, black and blue suit standing out in stark contrast against pale ivory skin and the waist length long black hair that hung down the person's back.

May blinked her eyes, as her jaw dropped. Her already numb mind already registering what her eyes and other senses were attempting to deny.

Everyone within the barrier became quiet again as they tried to figure out what had just happened to their friend as they took in the subtle differences in the person standing where their friend had perished.

The first changes noticeable was the size and build of the person. The second was the more feminine features, the hair, curves ect. But what really sealed the deal for the disbelieving onlookers was when the slight figure moved. Lifting a delicate hand to her mouth and using her fingertips to wipe away what _some_ could unmistakably see was blood before then shifting her attention to the elderly woman lying on the ground several feet away.

Her hair hiding her eyes as she stared at the woman that she had sworn a second promise to Peter to take care of, she was only vaguely upset with the knowledge that the poor woman was not only terrified by her appearance, but she had witness Peter's death right along with the other hero's of this world. Many of whom were his closest and most respected friends and allies, she began to take a step towards the elderly woman when an enraged masculine voice began shouting.

"What- Who the hell are you? Where is the spider's body?"

Pulling her attention away from May and the other hero's for a moment before she finally got tired of the male's voice and shifted her body so that she was turned away from him, not caring if he tried to attack her or not. She needed to get the woman and the other's behind the barrier out of the line of fire where they couldn't get hurt.

However for the moment, the barrier was keeping the other hero's out of the way while simultaneously protecting them. But she had no idea how long that would last.

Whereas May was defenseless against any attacks from the enemy. And if it came down to a choice between those that could defend themselves and May- she would choose May above everyone else.

And seeing as she was easily accessible at the moment, Tsunade decided not to waste anymore time. Again she started towards the woman when she sensed that the enemy was starting to attack. Moving faster than was absolutely necessary because one of the attacks was aimed straight at the woman, Tsunade managed to reach her, scoop her up off of the ground and flip them both backwards just as a tentacle smashed into the ground where May had been laying, sending up a small geyser of dirt and rock.

Landing deftly on the side of the glowing violet/purple barrier, she held May against her in a protective manner, her fingers tightly gripping the fabric of the woman's dirty and torn clothing before abruptly loosening.

May blinked up at her through glassy tear glazed eyes but didn't speak as Tsunade used the fingertips on her clean, gloved, hand to wipe her tears away before then shifting her hold on the woman again and touching the barrier next to them, her violet eyes focused solely on creating an opening in it that she could use to protect May by placing her inside of it with the others.

Once that was done she would be free to deal with the one whom had killed her other self.

Feeling the barrier spark several times under her hand she felt the barrier begin to open up, though it was a slow process. She sensed another attack heading their way, but couldn't move until her task was complete. So instead she shifted so that her back was to the enemy and curled herself around May to take the full brunt of the attack upon herself.

She wasn't overly concerned about any injuries that she may sustain since she could regenerate and heal herself within seconds. Though the pain would likely stay with her since she was still trying to become accustom to her new body.

The attack happened almost as quickly as she had sensed it.

The heavy metal of the tentacle's slamming into her back, splitting her back open between her shoulder blades, the claws dragging along her skin until a piece of it had caught in the flesh of her lower back, near her side and ripped it open with a savage yank that nearly caused her to cry out from the shock of it as blood spurted from the wound.

It was like something horrible out of a B horror movie, she mused as the blood ran down her back and side until it was slowed and then stopped by her healing and regenerative abilities.

She stayed like that and was struck and injured several more times before the barrier finally opened up enough that she was able to quickly shift May into position as one of the other hero's trapped within the barrier came over.

"Here. Take her." Tsunade said as she slowly started to lower May into the barrier, the other's there seemed to understand what she was trying to do and didn't bother asking her anything for the moment. The one standing directly under May simply caught her and set her carefully on the ground where she was swarmed by several youngsters, all of whom were visibly upset about their friend's death.

"Are you alright miss? Can you get us out of here?" The young man asked- well, more like demanded really.

Tsunade merely nodded her head and then closed the opening that she had created and then jumped down off of the barrier and looked over at her enemy.

The man was deranged. That much was obvious to her.

And as such he needed to be stopped.

Deciding that she was done playing around, she planned on a course of action and then before anyone could so much as react- much less see what she was doing. She had seemingly vanished from where she had been standing and reappeared in the air just above the man that had killed her alternate self and reared back her fist.

Aiming to disable without killing, and then let her arm come down on the thing that attached the tentacles to his back. There was another loud booming sound as he hit the ground with enough force to drive him down into it's depths by a good fifteen feet where he lay unconscious and unable to move as Tsunade held the crushed remnants of his tentacles in her fisted hand.

The moment that the dust settled, everyone began shouting to be let out of the barrier as she tossed the metal tentacles away from her and made the short walk back to the barrier and began to focus some of her power and charging the air particles around it so that by the time she reached it, it flickered and then crashed, freeing everyone that had been prisoner inside of it.

Once that was done, several of the older hero's- veterans from the looks of them- quickly surrounded her. Each one silently debating on whether or not they should welcome her with open arms or be suspicious of her sudden appearance. Finally after several moments of silence, a tall man in a blue skin tight outfit with a star on his chest walked over to her and studied her for a moment before saying slowly, "Miss? Are you alright? Are you injured?"

She remained silent, sensing that that wasn't what he truly wished to say.

Taking her silence as an answer of some kind he tried again. "I'm afraid that though we wish we could welcome you and thank you for helping us, and for protecting Spiderman's Aunt May, we can't. At least not yet. So for the time being, until we know who you are and where your from and how you got here-" He was stopped by a man in ancient looking clothing with shoulder length blond hair.

"She used a portal or gateway to come here. Though it pains me to admit that I know not what kind she used specifically."

The man in blue turned his head ever so slightly to question his friend when Spiderman's Aunt came over and pushed her way past the man in blue and simply looked at her for a moment before asking her in a desperate sounding tone, "Where is Peter? Where is my nephew?"

Tsunade was silent for a moment before slowly, cautiously reaching out and taking the woman's hand in hers and saying in her firmest tone, "He's somewhere safe and alive." The woman looked like she was about to breakdown and start crying.

She couldn't exactly blame her for that. After all she pretty much witnessed his death plus her arrival. Most normal humans would think themselves delusional or insane after having the kind of day May had just had. Still it didn't stop her from questioning, "How? How is he alive? He can't be! I saw him!"

"He is. I made sure of it when I came here."

May opened her mouth to say something else as Tsunade vaguely noted that everyone else had joined their little group and was standing silently listening to everything that was said. Trying to dissect every word, searching for lies where there were none.

It was at this point that someone wearing a shiny red and gold armor stepped in and said, "I think we should listen to her..." Everyone looked at him questioningly before he tacked on, "Has anyone else bothered to notice her outfit. I-It's the same one that Spider-Man was wearing when he was- Look at her chest, and the back. You can clearly see the mended skin where a fatal injury was inflicted...on _Spiderman's_ _body_."


	3. Chapter 3

Several days later-

Tsunade sat in the middle of a large room wearing a pair of skinny jeans, and a violet colored long sleeved shirt with nice, pretty butterfly print on the front of it. She sat there quietly as the man she identified as Metal, along with Blue Eyes and a majority of the hero's that she had saved the day of her arrival- filtered into the room- among which were several dozen kids and Peter's Aunt May who was directed to a several feet away from her.

It took close to twenty mind numbing minutes for everyone to finish filing into the large room and taking their seats, and once they did the lights of the room dimmed as Metal walked forward and began to speak slowly. Almost as if he wasn't sure what to say.

"Greetings ladies and gentlemen- I'm not going to bother introducing everyone here since everyone knows everyone else and for those of you who don't scocialize much, turn and shake hands with the person next to you, behind you, in front of you and then _stop_ and pay attention. Because what I have to say is important."

His dark eyes swept around the room for a moment before landing on her as he started speaking again. "All of us were present the other day for the Shield Hero's graduation, in fact I recall a great many of you being trapped in that barrier with me when Spider-Man was killed. However, since the other day, I and the other Avengers believe that we may possibly have figured out _what_ happened to our departed friend as well as _who_ our new acquaintance is." She suddenly found herself under a blindingly white light that caused her to hiss like a vampire because her insomnia for the past few days coupled with the brightness hurt her eyes.

Metal was kind enough to move the light once he saw her flinching and cringing in her seat while trying to shield her eyes and decided that he should move on to his findings.

"As all of you know, several days ago we witness something both horrible and impossible from a scientific standpoint. Spiderman wasn't by any means alive when he disappeared and our new friend appeared where he had fallen. After sending Thor back to Asgard to check his people's records of something like this occurring before. And what he found was an ancient and barely usable scroll documenting the end of his world- or rather what _should_ have been the end of his world."

"However the document stated that a person appeared in the place of a fallen member of the Asgardian royal family, Thor's family, and that that person not only saved the world of Asgard...but also lived among the people there for many years before he was fatally injured and somehow managed to switch back with the person he had taken the place of. It was presumed that one died while the one who was returned lived. However we wanted to double check this so we interviewed our young vampire mimicking friend over there and this is what we got from her."

Metal turned around and clicked something in his hand and an image of Tsunade appeared in the middle of the room.

Blinking her eyes at the weirdness of things, she decided to watch the 'interview' which in actuality had been more of a torture session. Granted no one had laid a hand on her to cause injury, however during the time they hadn't really seen to her baser needs either.

Choosing to keep her from consuming any foods, drinking any liquids, and also hadn't allowed her to rest. Which had been _excruciating_ on her body given the fact that she had still been regenerating for the more serious injuries that she had sustained during her face off with Peter's killer.

In the image she looked paler than she was at present, her captors had at least given her some clean clothing to wear and allowed her to bathe since her long hair was still more wet than not in the image and hung in her eyes and over her shoulders in soaked strands of jet black.

She was fidgeting with the sleeve of the simple overly large soft cotton blue, aqua, and black plaid shirt as Metal and someone else entered the room.

 _"Hello," The man greeted as he took a moment to give her an appraising look before deciding to plow on. "My name is Tony Stark, otherwise known as Ironman. Multi millionaire, inventor extraodinaire- And I will be the one to ask you some questions about who you are, where your from, what happened today when you appeared ect. The big fella over in the corner in blue is our resident boy scout, Steve Rodgers, better known as Captain America."_

 _"Now that our introductions are out of the way, how about we get started. Would you like to tell us your name?"_

 _She quietly rambled off a series of numbers and nothing else causing Tony to lean forward in his seat a little bit and say, "Sorry, could you repeat that?"_ She said the numbers again as Tony's gaze flickered towards Steve who simply said,

 _"She's giving you a serial number."_

 _"Are you sure? She seems kind of young to be in the military."_

 _Steve shrugged his broad shoulders as he said, "She isn't from here Tony. She may not even be from this world for all we know, and if that's the case she probably grew up different from everyone else."_

 _"Alight let's just come back to that question in a little while. Can you tell us where Spiderman is? You said before that he's safe and alive. How do you know?"_

 _She stopped fidgeting for a moment to raise her hand and tap her chest in the place where her heart was, and then lifted her hand to tap her temple underneath her thick hair._

 _Both men frowned at this as Tony asked, "What is that supposed to mean?"_

 _"Connected. Can sense one another through our bond." Was all she had to say on that particular matter. Some of the tension in the room eased up a bit as the two men relaxed a little bit as Steve asked her._

 _"How does your bond work? How was it created? What purpose does it serve?"_

 _She said nothing, choosing instead to bring her hand to her mouth and bite down on her flesh until blood welled up and then held her hand up for them to see. "Blood. The connection is created through similar genetics. The stronger the DNA, the stronger the bond and abilities shared by two individuals. We can track, trace, sense, hear thoughts, and extend our own power through the manipulation of the bond to let the other know of danger, or even to defend against it."_

 _"If that's true then why didn't you help him before he was killed?"_

 _"Killed is a relative term. And I couldn't at that time, though I did warn him of what would happen to him when our bond was created- simply not when."_

 _"That doesn't explain-"_

 _"Be silent." She snapped at the two. "I have traveled from further than your minds can imagine and suffered several great and somewhat fatal physical injuries. You may have your questions but I need time to heal and you are not helping any."_

 _"I thought that you weren't injured. Why lie?"_

 _"Because injury is a weakness that cannot be afforded right now. Besides many of you are out for blood and you do not care where you get it."_

 _"That's not tru-"_

 _"Do not dare to attempt to lie to me, I can read the anger in your hearts. I can hear the undertone of threats in your voices when you speak. I can even sense your thoughts on it. You are angry because one of your own has fallen this day, this I understand. However it was not I who killed him in front of you and I will not allow you to take our hatred of the other out on me."_

 _She fell silent again after that and the image changed to the same room, and the same two men in a room with her the day after the first round of questioning._

 _"You said before that you traveled farther than our minds can imagine. Does that mean that you are from another world? A different reality?"_

 _She said nothing as the man Tony sighed and then said something about needing a blood sample and then reached across the table to take her arm, when she suddenly moved and grabbed his hand in a bone crushing grip as Steve rushed over and grabbed her and quickly attempted to subdue her._

 _Which didn't end well since he was tossed like a rag doll across the room and Tony quickly followed, both men hit the floor and rolled as the door to the room crashed open and the Hulk and Thor came in next to subdue her. Again this seemed not to go well since both males were savagely backhanded away from her as strange glowing pale blue markings began to appear on her skin indicating a violent surge in power which would have continued if she had not reigned in her temper and suddenly stopped._

 _Her body going completely still as she then reached up to her neck and pulled something out from under her hair. It was a tiny little dart. One that the Avenger's used to tranquilize people with._

 _Eerie violet eyes scanned the room before coming to rest on the figure of a red headed woman in a black body suit that had just stepped into the room. She made a huffing sound and crushed the dart in her hand as a wave of dizziness washed over her and she suddenly collapsed. Giving Tony the opening that he needed to take her blood._

 _The next image of her, was taken the day after her temper tantrum. She was standing with her back to the door, looking out the large window when Tony and Steve entered the room and began to make themselves comfortable._

 _"Okay, I think it in everyone's best interest not to think on yesterday's...uh, incident and simply start fresh. Please come away from the window and pay attention to what I'm saying."_

 _"Despite what you may think I have excellent hearing and can hear you from where I stand."_

 _"Yes but will you pay attention?" Tony asked almost sarcastically earning a small shrug from her, and yet she refused to look at either of them. She didn't even acknowledge their presence beyond that. Even when Steve asked her in a kind tone, how her injuries were and if they had healed yet._

 _Her only response was that her regeneration of the damaged and destroyed cells was taking longer than necessary due to proper care. When asked what she meant, she only glared at the two men from over her shoulder for a moment before turning back to the window._

 _After which Tony began speaking again. "So your DNA is interesting to look at... Are you a human? Half human? Were you an experiment? A clone of something or someone? A funky alien-like version of a super soldier? Why do you have so many DNA strands? It's obvious that you're human enough from your appearance and thought processes, however there is so many unknown genes in your DNA that even I couldn't keep track."_

 _"I feel no need to answer your questions."_

 _"Suit yourself. So...what is your name? You haven't told us yet."_

 _"I have far too many names to mention. But I am rather fond of Empress."_

 _"That's a rather loft name. Kind of arrogant, don't you think?"_

 _She turned to look at them then, a small smile curving her soft pink lips as she said, "If I wished to be arrogant I would simply tell you what I am rather than my chosen rank. You see, unlike you humans- I am not arrogant. Arrogance makes you blind and leads to the fall of civilizations. I cannot afford to make such terrible mistakes. There are far too many lives that depend on me." _

_Tony looked kind of surprised by her response to his baiting her, so surprised in fact that he remained silent as his mind shifted through the information that they already had on her as Steve said, "So Empress isn't so much your name as it is your title. You're royalty where you come from?"_

 _"In many ways yes, however I am much more than that."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _"I was born with a...mark that makes me the single most incredible person in the...world,"_ _Steve gave her an oddly disbelieving look as she slowly continued, "The child born with the mark of the gods is inevitably to become a god. Their power is so great that it can create, and destroy worlds. However this mark is also considered a great curse as well."_

 _"Oh? How so?"_

 _"Because any child unfortunate enough to carry the mark, has their parents slain the same day the mark is discovered. The child is then taken far away to live in an isolated place surrounded by harsh elements and nature's most cunning and ruthless predators. Once there the child is left, alone, no matter how young or old- to begin their training. Training lasts for four or five years depending on the development of the physical and mental abilities. They must fight every day simply to live. And once their training is complete, the current ruler comes to fetch them and takes them to the palace where they are groomed to do what is necessary to be ruler of the world and all in it. Once that is done- the current ruler challenges the child to a death match where only the winner is allowed to take the throne and live."_

 _The moment that she finished explaining, Steve and Tony stared at her in stunned shock and disbelief before Tony snarled, "That's barbaric!"_

 _"You are not wrong in that regard. However it has only been in the past hundred years or so that killing is no longer deemed necessary for the child to prove her worth. The former ruler of the world I am from was quite happy simply to challenge me to a spar. She walked away from the throne, handing over the reigns and the power that she had gained from the ruler before her- to me, after losing. Last I heard she had lived out the rest of her life as an ordinary woman, and had married and had several children. All of whom I visit quite often."_

 _The two men mentally shook themselves, their minds somewhat disturbed by what she had just told them when Tony realized something. Given the timeline she had spoken of, it had only been in the last hundred years when killing wasn't necessary to prove one's worth._

 _Curious about this, he decided to ask. "How old are you? How long have you been Empress of your world?"_

 _Again she simply smiled at them and then went on to explain that she, due to her station and abilities tended to age much more slowly than the average ruler. Because of this nature hadn't seen fit to mar another child as her successor. And as a direct result of this fact, she had been able to rule over her people for well over five hundred years, though in the average human's span of time she estimated that she was somewhere between eleven and fourteen years of age._

 _After that image had ended it switched over again to yet another one- this time Tony and Steve were already in the room when she entered it and promptly asked if any of them had been keeping tabs on May Parker. And when the two hadn't answered her, she had then tore into them causing both men to quickly leave the room._

 _Once the door shut behind them, she then turned to where the camera was located and waved her hand at it before everything went dark._

Thankfully that had been the last of the recordings that they had of her, which was probably why once the lights were switched back on she found herself once again cringing and flinching and hissing like a vampire, much to the dismay of the people around her as Metal once again began to speak.

"So in conclusion- we have determined that our young vamp over there is somehow connected to Spider-Man through a blood bond that she used to trade places with him the moment that his chest was pierced. We have also come to the conclusion that Spiderman must have trusted her a great deal to allow such a bond to even occur...which in essence means that the girl- powerful as she is- didn't come to this world to attack, conquer, or even to cause trouble. She came for an entirely different reason that may have been requested of her by Spiderman himself. It is for this reason that I would ask, her highness to please come up here and make your intentions clear by explaining just why you and Spider-Man traded places."

Metal stepped back from the speaking device that he had been using to amplify his voice in the room since the meeting began at the same exact moment that Steve stepped up to her seat and laid a heavy hand on her slender shoulder and gave her an encouraging smile when she twisted her head around to look up at him for a moment before slowly getting to her feet and looking around the room.

While she could appreciate Metal's wish for her to make her intentions known to everyone at present, she still hadn't gotten to speak with Peter's Aunt May. So once she located where the woman was seated, she ignored all else and began walking towards her with a single minded purpose of telling her of her promise to Peter as well as explain to her how everything had began.

She didn't bother using words to carefully maneuver her way through the crowded room, nor did she pay any attention to the prying eyes of the others present.

May saw her coming her way and got a somewhat alarmed look on her face as her aqua eyes quickly darted around the room as if to silently ask for help when the girl suddenly stopped right in front of her chair. Gulping, May met the girl's unnatural colored violet eyes and waited for her to speak.

"May Parker, wife of the late Ben Parker. Aunt of both a hero and a friend, Peter Parker- My name is Tsunade, I am the fourth Empress to assume the throne of my world in the past million years. You have questions for me about your nephew and how things have come to this. I will answer these questions and state my intentions to all in this room right now."

Understanding that the girl was waiting on her to ask something, May finally began with. "You said before that Peter was safe. That he was alive. I want to know how?"

Tsunade gave the woman a kind smile and gracefully sat down on the floor at her feet and began explaining. "Before I can tell you that, I must first explain the bond that we have connecting us and how it came to be. I first met Peter about two years ago when he was universe hopping, chasing the one that many of you know as The Green Goblin. The portal opened up in the middle of my bedroom and dropped him right on top of me while I slept. Naturally, I reacted rather harshly believing that someone was attempting to take my life while I slept, however after the first few blows were exchanged I began to feel something peculiar. Something that I had only felt around my brother and uncle, whom both serve in the palace as my guards."

"I could feel a- a sort of _resonance_ occurring. Resonance is a very rare occurrence where one individual feels an incredible and almost painful pull in their heart and soul to be close to another of similar blood or genetics. This ability, once upon a time was used to help keep bloodlines from dying out by forcing a very strong and instinctual bond to be created between the two. Most people only create such bonds with their mates, siblings, or small children. But I decided that since Peter technically was of my blood- that a bond should be created to help keep him out of trouble in need be."

"During the short time he stayed with me I was able to figure out why exactly we were resonating. Frankly I was both startled and shocked to find out that your Peter was me, in this world, and I was him in mine. Due to this I was able to pick up on certain things while in close proximity. One of which was, that he didn't have much longer left to live. So I made a deal- or a promise with him. That the exact moment that his heart stopped beating here- I would come and take his place for however long I was needed, and then return him back to you."

"He made me promise several things before leaving. One of which being, that if he fell in battle with one of his enemies, and we switched places- that I would take care of you in his place. Two was that I protect you and his friends from all harm as long as I am able. And three, was that if this world was ever in any true danger that I would protect it- single handedly if I must. He wanted no one getting injured or worse, and though it may seem cruel to ask such a thing- I agreed."

May was silent as she stared at her as she tried to absorb all of the information that she had just been given before frowning and asking, "Why would the third promise seem cruel?"

"Because he knows just as much as I do, that this world and it's evils are unknown to me. Because of the promise I would basically be walking blindly into something that I could become seriously injured from or even die from. So in essence, my promise could very well lead to my death."


	4. Chapter 4

The aftermath of the meeting was almost anything but pleasant.

 _Almost_ , of course was the operative word since the full severity of Tsunade's words pertaining to her promise weighed down more than one person's heart. _How could we not be upset?_ _Just what the hell had Spider-Man been thinking when he made her promise those things?_ Tony wondered as he watched May Parker and the girl speak with one another once everything was explained to the woman.

Spider-Man had basically wrangled a promise out of the girl that meant she _had_ to perish before he could return home. And Tony, not for the first time since the girl's arrival, had wondered if perhaps Deadpool's insanity had somewhat rubbed off on the teenage wall crawler.

They _did_ spend an unusual amount of time together and frenemies. Trading insults, sticking their noses into each other's affairs, beating the hell out of each other- Of course it wouldn't surprise Tony in the least if they were secretly friends on Facebook or Twitter. In fact, he planned to check both of Spiderman's accounts on Facebook and Twitter just to confirm his suspicions.

And in the meantime... He glanced towards Cap and caught his eye for a second as he tried to telepathically share the whole, _We need to keep her_ _away from Deadpool_ , message.

The Cap. blinked at him before leaning towards Thor and asking warily, "Did Tony just wink at me?" Causing both men to slowly look at him before internally cringing. Tony didn't seem aware of it, but his left eye was twitching as he contemplated what to do about the girl now that they knew the full extent of her promise to Spider-Man.

They couldn't just let her loose on out in the world. She didn't know how things worked here.

She didn't know the laws, the people, or the _villains_.

Maybe we can keep her here in Avenger Tower to prevent her from getting into trouble. Tony wondered, knowing that while she may not go for it if they offered her a place to stay and such- Especially after the way that they treated her over the past few days- he was sure that with a little bit of help he could con her into staying.

It would make a lot of stuff simpler for her. And easier on the rest of them as well since it was up to them as hero's to prevent Tsunade from dying, even if it meant keeping her from keeping her promise to Spider-Man. They simply wouldn't be able to stand back and let her get herself killed.

It was simply too cruel of them to consider.

And the promise didn't exactly _excuse_ the wall crawler's hasty actions either. After all, the kid was one of them- a hero- it was a hero's job to lay his life on the line for the people he strove to protect everyday. Making someone promise to die for them was simply unheard of in their circles.

It was cowardly, and cruel.

Two things that the wall crawler usually wasn't under the circumstances. Which made Tony wonder if perhaps Spider-Man hadn't been _informed_ completely as to what the promise he had wrangled from Tsunade concerned. He supposed that he and the others could try asking Tsunade, but the kid had already made it clear that she never spoke unless she truly wanted to share something.

So asking her right now was possibly out.

But he supposed that they could try at a later date.

Until then... Grabbing up the mic he'd used before, he quickly ended the gathering, promising food and drink for anyone who wanted to stick around. And then turned to Steve and asked if he'd go and pry the girl from May Parker's side.

Steve looked at him for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders before he walked over to where Tsunade sat and tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention causing the girl to turn her head to glance up at him. Her gaze questioning as he said gently, "Come on. There's a lot of people who wanna meet you."

"I'm not leaving May." Tsunade said, as she gave him a small glare.

"Well, then why don't you ask her if she'd like to come along as well? That way you don't have to leave her behind." Steve asked in a coaxing tone. And when she didn't look all that impressed, he then tried another tactic. "We have food. Anything and everything that you can think of. Tony spared no expense on it. In fact there are several buffet tables set up in another room just one floor down from here."

Tsunade blinked at him. Obviously not caring one way or another when the jerk pulled this on her, "When was the last time you ate something? I don't recall you eating the entire time that you've been here..." It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that he and his friends had more or less forgotten to offer anything for her to eat the entire time she'd been in their care, however she bit her tongue when May stepped in and asked.

"Is that true? You haven't eaten anything?" Tsunade got the sense that if she so much as bothered to dignify the question with an answer, the woman was going to strong arm her into going with old Blue Eyes regardless of what she wanted.

Thinning her lips a little bit, she glared at Steve even more as he gave her a rather friendly looking smile as May grasped her upper arm in her hand as she stood up out of her chair. "Come along Tsunade, dear." the woman said as she practically pulled her to her feet and then began to drag her out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Oddly enough Tsunade was a fairly good sport about being dragged around like a rag doll by May Parker. Which many may have considered odd, given the fact that she was royalty. However others found the fact that she humored the woman to be rather endearing.

It was almost like seeing a grandmother with her granddaughter or something. And it was more than obvious that Tsunade didn't seem to mind in the slightest that May was strong arming her.

Steve had to give the kid props where props were due, she tended to roll with things more easily than most people he'd ever seen before, he thought with a small grin as he followed not too far behind the two ladies.

May was lecturing Tsunade for not speaking up sooner about her needs, and Tsunade merely nodded her head absently- probably not really listening because she was thinking about something at the moment. However if one bothered to try asking her what May was saying to her, he knew that despite not paying much attention- she would be able to quote May's lecture word for word.

Thus saving herself from possibly being lectured again or worse.

Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Tony fell into step beside and behind him. All of them also observing the interaction between May and Tsunade.

"If you needed to eat or drink something why didn't you say anything?" May finally asked as she finished her lecture. Apparently her curiosity was getting the best of her. Though the Avengers couldn't exactly fault her for that, they were rather curious why she hadn't said something to any of them as well.

"I am in an unknown world with people I do not know, who feel I am a threat to you all. Why would I give any one the satisfaction of knowing that I hunger or thirst? For all I knew they could have drugged any food or drink given to me."

Her response was a logical one, if a little overly cautious and just slightly insulting.

Still none of them could fault her for it since they would have reacted the same way if they had been in her shoes.

The elevator ride down to the floor below the one that they had held the meeting on, was cramped and somewhat _irksome_. Everyone was crammed into a very small space where there was very little to no elbow room, with everyone talking all at once with the exception of May and Tsunade.

Both were strangely quiet during the short trip. And once the doors to the elevator opened and they were free, the two stood a good ways away from the small herd of people clamoring to exit the elevator before the doors closed again. Both shaking their heads when they were suddenly joined by Spiderman's graduating class. Shield's very own Web Warriors.

Powerman, Iron Fist, White Tiger, Scarlet Spider, Spider-girl, Kid-Arachnid, Squirrel Girl, Triton, Nova and the others.

"May! Wait up." Nova said as he and the other teens reached the elderly aunt of their friend and leader.

May turned her head to look at him and smiled at the group. "Hello everyone." She greeted as everyone just sort of awkwardly stood around her and Tsunade waiting for someone to say or do something. It took a few seconds, but May finally figured out what they were wanting and quickly introduced everyone to Tsunade and she to them before then pointing out just who the teens were and telling Tsunade how she and her nephew knew them.

It was around that time that Tony walked over to the little group and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, and once he had it- he then explained where the room that they were heading to was as well as named some of the foods and drinks that he had set out for everyone before then shifting his attention to Tsunade and taking a step forward and asked, "Do you know yet where your going to be living since your new in this world?"

"Not really. Near May, I suppose."

Tony blinked for a second before going on to say, "That...is nice. However I really think that you should consider living here for a few months, a year tops. That way I can find some way to have documents forged about your birth, age, educational background and other stuff taken care of. It would also give you time to learn about how things are done here in the states. The laws and such, you know?"

She remained silent and seemed to be mulling over his suggestion when he decided to try easing her mind a little bit as far as her promise to Spidey went.

"If your worried about May, then maybe we could ask her and Ben if they would like to stay here with you, so that you can keep your promise and get settled. I can even set things up so that you get a monthly allowance and stuff to live on that way if you need something, you don't have to worry about simply going out to get it. Plus I can throw in a nice car with your own personal driver."

"That's more than you ever gave us!" The guy wearing the purple outfit with the shades, called out causing Tony to turn his head slightly and bear his teeth at the man as he growled out.

"Shut it Hawkeye! You aren't royalty from another world." Then turned back to Tsunade and said, "Look, maybe we got off to a bad start with how we acted when we brought you here. And I understand that that being asked to stay for _any_ length of time now that things are in the clear- could be... _upsetting_ for you. And I certainly don't hold that against you. However as you've pointed out before, you are a stranger in a strange land. You know net to nothing about the laws, or the people. Not everyone you help is going to be nice or even grateful for your assistance. It sucks but it happens. In fact a majority of people are more apt. to attack you themselves. I'm offering my home, _our_ home here in Avengers Tower to give you a chance to learn what you need to learn while being in a place that is not only easily defended but safe for you and anyone you want to have with you."

"It is a generous offer. But-" Tsunade started to turn his offer down, however Tony reached out and impulsively slapped a hand over her mouth to keep her from speaking and then just said.

"Don't answer now. Talk things over with May and Ben and then make your decision."


	6. Chapter 6

The second that everyone was in the room that Tony had mentioned, Stark caught Hulk and Thor meandering off hot on the heels of May and Tsunade and the rest of the teens who converged upon the buffet tables that Tony had had set up for everyone to make use of, just in case, as the man walked over to Steve and pulled a chair out at the table that he, Natasha and Clint were all sitting at and settled himself in his seat before asking, "Do any of you object to Tsunade staying here as a guest until she figures out what to do with her life?"

Steve and the two former Shield assassin's/agent's all gave the man a somewhat calculating look. As if they couldn't figure out why Tony would want a kid underfoot.

Well okay, that was somewhat wrong. Steve and Natasha were sharp enough to catch on to the reason's why. Clint however, not so much. _Maybe he's been hanging with the 'smash brothers' for too long_ , Tony thought to himself in wry amusement. Finding the fact that just being in the presence of Thor and Hulk for extended periods of time could make one feel as if all functioning brain cells had just scampered off and gone on vacation.

"Despite how we started out handling her, she seems to be a good kid. She's not exactly tempermental, moody or unstable. Just... _different_." Tony said as if that explained his earlier question before carefully tacking on. "Besides, it wouldn't hut to continue to watch her for a little while. At least to make sure that she doesn't accidentally get hurt or something."

"Do you really think it's a good idea to have someone who can knock Thor, Hulk and Steve through a wall hanging around?" Natash asked curiously as she and the others glanced across the room where May was fixing a couple of plates for Tsunade who was already holding two in each hand while Thor and Hulk suggested some stuff to add to the growing pile.

"Actually yes," Tony said before going on to say, "Look at things from her point of view, to her, what we did that day was a violation. Not only that but her DNA, after seeing it first hand- is beyond anything that I've ever seen before. It's more than a mutation. More than a super soldier exposed to the same serum that made Steve what he is today. It's even more extraordinary than Thor and Hulk's DNA. I think the only reason she lashed out that day that blood was taken was because she worried what we might do with the sample. And frankly, after seeing her DNA- and hearing about how things are in her world- I can't really say that I blame her for her reaction. Though I will point this out, despite knocking us all around, did any of you notice that not a single one of us was _actually_ physically injured after she hit us? It was like she treated us with kid gloves. The blows that she dealt us were meant to stun us, make us back off. Not put us down or out for good."

Natasha opened her mouth to say something else, when Steve cut her off at the knee with Tony's favorite words.

"Tony's right, Nat. Tsunade could have easily broken bones or even killed us if she had wanted to that day, but she refrained. And Tony is right about her needing to be watched because of the differences in our worlds, she doesn't know how things work here. The laws, the villains, the people. Plus if she got into any trouble we would be right there to help her."

Natasha stared at the two for a moment before simply saying in an almost accusing tone, "You both like her." Steve turned a nice shade of red from mortification while Tony looked totally unrepentant as the red head sighed and did this little hand wave thing as if to say, _Fine. Do as you wish._ While Clint remained silent, his unusually sharp eyes trained on the kid's back as Tony asked him his opinion.

But to be honest he didn't really have one either way. He understood Natasha's hang ups about having a super strong kid underfoot, and he understood Tony and Steve's point of view as well. So his only response was, "I like kids." Which was straight, simple, honest and to the point.

There was no need for elaboration or lengthy explanations.

"Sweet. Now all we have to do is wait for her to response." Was all that Tony said as he got up to go hit the buffet before Thor and the Hulk cleaned the tables of their food completely.

(***00***)

Tsunade sat at the same table with May and Ben, trying to eat her food in peace. However every time she managed to finish off a plate, someone- she suspected either the Hulk or Thor or perhaps even Nova- kept placing a new one next to her without somehow drawing her attention.

Of course she didn't realize this until finally polishing off her sixth plate when she had started to set it aside and had to do a double take at the small stack sitting there just a few inches from her elbow. Her expression pretty much saying what she herself refused to voice, causing May to look over at her and laugh softly before catching Ben's eyes and seeing him quietly laughing as well.

"Having a little trouble there dear?" May asked in amusement as Tsunade went ahead and laid her sixth plate aside and picked up the new one and carefully set it in front of her before looking around for a moment as if to see who had been secretly sneaking her stuff, and was somewhat disappointed to see that whoever it was had covered their tracks well.

Hulk and Thor had meandered off after introducing themselves to her and helping May fi her some plates piled high with all kinds of stuff that they felt were worth eating, and were now bothering some of the other people in the room.

Whereas Nova and the rest of the teens that May had introduced her to- aside from Ben- were all sitting a good ways away.

"Hn." Was all Tsunade said as she sighed and picked up what Iron Fist had pointed out to her earlier before she had left the buffet table. Her newest plate held five pieces of alfredo pizza, cheesy bread, sweet eel sushi and some crab and spring rolls with ginger, some sugar glazed donuts, cookies, an orange glazed rotisserie chicken thigh and leg and a small side salad with several different little cups of dressing for her to choose from.

Sighing, she picked up her fork and began the somewhat tedious task of eating the food that someone in the room had given her when Ben finally spoke up. "You have a fairly healthy appetite. Do you always eat this much?"

There was no ill will, malice or intention to offend. Merely curiosity.

Chewing and swallowing what was in her mouth, Tsunade thought for a moment before saying. "I haven't eaten in days. So this is somewhat expected. However the first two plate would have taken care of whatever hunger that I felt. However since I'm still trying to regenerate and heal the injuries that I sustained the other day- then more is needed."

"Oh? It is?" May asked, deciding to join in and learn what she could about her newest guardian.

"Yes. My body needs the extra calories and nutrients to help me heal faster. With what I've eaten so far- I should be fully healed within the hour. But a little bit extra never hurts." Tsunade said as she took another bite of her food and fell silent again.

Both May and Ben became silent for several moments before May then asked, "So...do you intend to take Mr. Stark up on his offer to live here?"

Tsunade looked at the woman and then set aside her fork and sat back for a moment as she closed her eyes, she was beginning to feel just a tad bit overwhelmed by everything that had happened. And when something like that occurred she usually wound up with a really bad migraine.

And if the slight throbbing in her temples were any indication... She was probably going to wind up locked in her room for a few hours to a day. At least until she felt better again.

She didn't dare neglect her promise to Peter for longer than that.

"No." She finally said. Missing the look of confusion and dismay on May Parker's face as she frowned at her while demanding to know why.

Slowly opening her eyes, Tsunade looked the woman in the eye and simply said, "I told you before. I made a promise and I refuse to break it simply because of something as petty as living arrangements."

"But it would be a good opportunity for you. And Mr. Stark and the others could help you with everything until your settled in."

"But what about you, May?"

"Well... Mr. Stark has extended an invitation for myself and Ben to stay here as well. And I could probably get Flash and Miles or one of the others to take care of the house and water the plants. It would only be until your settled, how long could that possibly take?"

 _How long indeed_. Tsunade thought to herself as she considered everything that Metal had offered coupled with her promise to watch over and take care of everyone and sighed.

She didn't like the idea of giving in anymore than she liked the idea of keeping May close to her for the sake of her promise. The woman had her own life to live for christ's sake. And not only that but as easily defendable as their current location was- the fact that it was also far more dangerous than May's home couldn't be ignored either.

However... it wasn't like she or May would be alone if they stayed in their current location. Ben would also be here. Along with Metal, Blue eyes and the others.

So maybe it could work?

"Are you really willing to live here until I'm settled in?" She asked the elderly woman as she cast a glance towards Ben who was watching the exchange. He was strangely silent about everything. Didn't he want to voice his opinion? She wondered as May finally replied.

"I'm fine with it. It isn't like it's for forever. Besides, I'll have you and Ben with me. And the Avengers will be around if anything happens."

Tsunade nodded her head slowly and then asked, "Ben? Do you want to add anything?"

The young man remained quiet before finally saying, "I go where May does." He sounded just a tad bit possessive to Tsunade, which was fine. Possessive males were easy to sometimes manipulate when it came to the safety and well being of others.

If bad came to worse, she would use his emotional attachment to May to see the woman removed from the building and possibly taken to a safe house somewhere of her choosing.

She'd have to bring the stipulation up with Metal, but she doubted that he would mind much since he seemed oddly eager for her to agree.

"Very well. I will agree to stay here for a while with a few stipulations. Nothing terribly big or outlandish. I'll speak to...Mr. Stark after we finish our meal." She said as she once again picked up her fork and noticed that there were three more new plates on the table next to her elbow and scowled.


	7. Chapter 7

Once Tsunade was finally finished eating and set aside her final plate of food, she then politely excused herself from the table that she had shared with May and Ben and silently maneuvered her way across the room to where Metal, and the rest of his friends were currently sitting and pulled a chair out next to him and then sat down.

Ignoring everyone's curious stares as she turned to Metal and said, "I will accept your offer to stay here until I am settled, however I have two condition. The first is if anything ever happens to this building or the people in it or even in the world beyond it- as long as someone is still able- I want them to take May and whoever is left and leave me behind."

The Avengers all looked at the girl like she was crazy as both Tony and Steve opened their mouths to argue with her only to be stopped. "I promised to take care of everyone on top of my promise to protect and take care of May Parker. If something large scale happens then I will expect everyone to fall back and take as many as you can with you. I have more than enough power to protect people on a global scale, no matter where in the world I may be. So I do not want to hear any arguments."

Tony and Steve's mouths snapped shut at the force behind her tone before she suddenly gentled it and said. "I know that asking you to agree to this is expecting something rather difficult of you since you yourselves are hero's. And I can even respect that. However if I need you all to take May and others and leave then it is for a good reason. That reason most likely is because I can tell that the chances of anyone's survival if they stay are minimum to none. Can you promise me this?"

Her violet eyes flickered from one person's face to another as Tony sighed before conceding her point.

"You're right, asking us to abandon everything and everyone and only saving a few is...no, _would_ be difficult for us. However I can also tell that you are a great deal stronger physically and mentally than we are. What could or would very likely severely injure or kill us right off the bat would not trouble you overly much. And if you tell us to leave and take May and anyone else left- then it is probably for a good reason. So... Yes, as much as it pains me to say- we promise to do as you say if that should ever happen."

"Thank you. Now for the second condition, and I hope it isn't too much on top of your already more than generous offer to help me while I stay here- I will need a safe house built just in case the first condition comes to pass. It should be well outside of the city, but not so far that it is completely isolated from any food, water, or medical resources. I will draw up the plans after I study the architecture of your world for a few days. But it should be big enough for up to as many as several hundred people to use as a place to retreat to if the worst should happen."

Steve let out a low whistle as he leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head as Tony stared at her for a moment before stuttering out, "S-Several h-hundred people?!"

"May, you and your friends, close family and friends, doctors, surgeons, other hero's like yourselves- I suggest Black Bolt and his family, Black Panther, Dr. Strange, and the kids over there-" She said pointing at the table where the Shield graduates all sat eating and talking together. "Any others that you can think of that would be useful in the protection of those saved and the rebuilding of the cities that fall."

"You talk as if you _think_ or _know_ that something is going to happen." Natasha said as Tsunade got up out of her seat before simply saying.

"Spider-Man has his spider senses for a reason," Tsunade replied cryptically. "It is a type of psychic phenomenon that is underdeveloped, yet still useful enough to warn him of immediate danger."

"If that were true- he'd still be here."

"Not necessarily. When we met I noticed that he tended to freeze up while trying to think out options during fights." And with that, she walked away. Effectively ending the conversation.

(***00***)

Two days later, The Avengers were busy moving May, Ben _and_ Tsunade into the building. Tony had thought it would be a good idea for the three to have their own floor since they were fairly private individual's. That and Ben had taken him aside once he had got the green light from Tsunade and vowed to remove his boys- one of his most prized pieces of his anatomy- if they didn't have a floor to themselves.

And since Tony knew from what Spider-Man had told him of the Scarlet Spider, the young man had absolutely _no_ problems with backing up his threat with actual physical violence.

He even recalled Spidey saying once that it was almost as if Ben had absolutely no conscience when it came to certain specific situations. One second he was like any other normal, somewhat sadistic natured person and the next it was like he was Dr. Doom or something.

Conscience on- conscience off. Sort of like a light switch. And after being threatened by the kid- Tony was apt to believe every horror story that Spidey had ever told him about the young man.

So while they were finalizing everything to move the three into the building, Tony had decided to stay far, far, far away from Ben as humanly possible. Which is why he had sent Steve to handle the kid's arrangements while he, Natasha and Thor handled Tsunade and May's living arrangements.

Besides the ladies were much less intimidating.

Something that just seemed to endear the ladies to him even more.

May was easy to settle in once everything was done being arranged. The woman had a taste for nice, classy stuff that didn't break the bank. In fact all of her furniture with the exception of the appliances in the kitchen of her new living quarters, had all been bought from a Goodwill store located several miles away, and then had been cleaned and refurnished with new material that matched the color scheme of her new 'temporary' home.

Tsunade was a bit more difficult to deal with, but not in a bad way. She merely had a thing for all things black and embroidered. Her new furniture, her new clothing, her new carpet and curtains, bedding and sheets...

The kid had purchased such oddly interesting stuff to go in her new home that Tony could only stand in the doorway and gape at the Emperess's dark haven in mild shock at how everything looked.

Despite the dark color of the furniture, carpet and drapes, the kid had made sure that the walls were several different shades of blue, aqua, silver, and green with the occasional red highlights here and there.

On one hand it was like Martha Stewart had exploded in the room, and on the other everything just blended together so damn well. The dark colors stood out in stark contrast against the paler ones making everything look absolutely stunning.

 _She could be an interior decorator if she decided to ever step down as a hero_. Tony thought to himself in amusement as he watched Hulk carefully set her new couch where she indicated. "Wow," Tony said as he slowly stepped into Tsunade's room and looked around a little bit more and did a quick sweep of the place. And he had to say, the girl had nice taste. Really nice. She also had a lot of book shelves, lamps, and books that she had bought online two days ago. "This place looks great. But I have to ask, why so much black?"

"It's easier to hide blood if I get injured." Tsunade said simply, not caring one way or another if he disliked her answer. She was after all, only being honest.

Both Hulk and Tony looked at her with strange expressions before they seemed to shake themselves free of whatever thoughts had crossed their minds just then as Hulk gave her a little wave as she thanked him for the help and asked him if he would like to come hang out later- when she decided to cook dinner.

Hulk gave his new friend a little smile and then walked out of the room, deciding to wait outside and listen to Tony and the girl converse.

Tony felt a little bit awkward after asking her such a stupid question about the curtains. Still he plowed on just like he always did. "Have you decided yet what you would like to do for a living? You know since you can't live here forever and stuff."

"I have." Tsunade said thinking of all of the other things that she had purchased online. Metals, wires, semi precious gemstone beads and faceted stones. Books to help her design and make things. Several small kilns, several for metal work and at least two more for- Art glass work... She had also gotten glues, ribbons, needles, threads, fabrics and many, many other things and had already set up a business account on something called Etsy.

She had also spent several hours writing poems and stories that she had put on something called...Amazon? Which had already been selling like crazy since she had already made close to two hundred and thirty nine dollars in the past two days alone.

"I'm glad." He said with a smile, deciding not to mention that for the time being he had been monitoring her interactions over the internet and checking out everything that she looked at and everything that she bought.

He'd even checked out her Amazon account and had seen what she was up to there, which had surprised him greatly. Especially after he had purchased several of her works to look through.

Despite her somewhat aloof personality, Tsunade's mind was anything but. She had a beautifully vivid imagination with a wonderful way of describing details in each and every one of her poems and stories. Though something about them sort of stumped him.

How the hell had she managed to write a dozen stories with page counts that ranged from three hundred and fifty to five hundred pages long in length? And six poetry books where her poems had a page count of seventy three to one hundred and ten pages in length?

He doubted that he would ever know, however he did enjoy her works which was why he had not only favorited her stuff but was watching for more and had even gone so far as to tell Steve and Natasha that they should check her stuff out.

Though he doubted either of them would.

Steve was computer shy and Natasha tended to de-evolve into a hulk like creature if she was near a computer for too long. Which was now why she had her computer time closely monitored.

"Well since you have that figured out- is there anything else that you may need?"

"Food, drinks and possibly some new clothing." Tsunade replied almost automatically. Causing Tony to snicker before telling her that he'd see if someone was free to take her to get what she needed just as Ben was walking by and paused long enough to say that he would take her.

Both Tony and Tsunade turned to look at him for a moment before Ben stated that he needed to get out for a little bit anyways and might as well take Tsunade along with him since she hadn't left the building ever since her arrival a week ago.

Feeling as if there was some sort of impending disaster afoot, Tony was reluctant to agree with the young man, however the choice wasn't his to make. So he kept his mouth shut as Tsunade agreed that getting out for a little while would be nice.

Ben nodded and told her that he'd be waiting downstairs on the ground floor for her once she finished up talking to Tony and grabbed what she needed to grab and then quietly left.


	8. Chapter 8

"Watch out!" Ben called out as he stepped forward to grab Tsunade around the waist and pull her back away from the curve as a bus drove by. Ever since the two of them had left the tower earlier, Tsunade had seemed to be... _out of it_. Paying attention and yet not. And because of this, she had nearly been hit by several vehicles, she'd been pushed off of the side walk several times by overly rude people.

Nearly checked herself into a light pole, a telephone pole, and strangely enough what must have been the _only_ damned tree within _miles_ of the city park.

And still- he had to pull her away from what could very well be certain death all because she was out of it. To say that it was frustrating would be an understatement, though there had been several times that had been quite humorous. But for the most part having to continuously save her was just irritating.

Checking his watch, he noted that it was about lunch time and decided to take her to grab something to eat. Figuring that maybe she suffered from low blood sugar or something and hoping that eating something would fix whatever issue she was having. Slowly releasing her so that she could move away from him a little bit, he had to snag her hand before she could end up in the road again and began leading her through the crowded sidewalk towards a café that he knew of.

It was one of the first places that he had eaten at after Peter had found him and brought him home. The food was good, the atmosphere was pleasant, and it had a little area outdoors where you could eat if you didn't feel like mingling with others indoors.

It was the perfect place to take a load off and unwind, in his opinion.

"Where are we going?"

"To get something to eat."

"Why?"

"Because it's lunch time and I'm hungry. Aren't you?"

"Not particularly, no."

"Really? Then what has you spacing out so much?"

Tsunade didn't say anything at first. Really she didn't see any point in telling him that his world was so- so _overwhelming_ to her senses. She didn't wish to concern him unless she continued to have issues adapting. And she wouldn't know if there were any real issues until a few more days had passed.

She felt herself running into something solid and grunted a little bit as she staggered back and then looked up to see Ben watching her with a peculiar expression on his handsome face. "Well? You going to answer me or not?"

She thinned her lips for a moment and let gave a little growling sound to show her annoyance at him letting her walk into him. But aside from that, she said nothing about what her issue may be.

Finally he sighed and simply turned and began walking again. This time he didn't bother to drag her along, figuring that if she wanted to be stubborn and get mowed down by something in the street then that was her problem- not his.

Tsunade followed him easily enough, though when a woman was rude enough to bump into her and almost knock her down while speaking on a little device that she had near her ear- Tsunade made a point of reaching out and snatching the piece from the rude woman's hands and then crushed it as she gave her a menacing glare before she turned and started walking again while the woman screamed at her back.

Ben saw the whole spectacle and nearly face palmed himself.

This was not the fairly well behaved young ruler of a whole world that had been staying close to himself and May Parker- this was someone entirely different and he couldn't help but wonder if perhaps Tsunade had a Banner/Hulk mentality that came into play when she was under extreme duress or something?

And she _was_ under duress.

It wasn't all that hard to tell that she was trying almost desperately to fulfill the parameters of the promise that she had made to Peter so that she could bring him home. However now that Ben could see this, he was about ready to take a number and stand in line to kick the wall crawlers ass.

"Tsunade, stop screwing with the locals." Ben called out as he finally reached the café door. Tsunade walked over and paused just a few inches from him as he pulled the door open and waited for her to pass through as his cell phone began to ring.

Digging it out of his pants pocket, Ben checked the number on the ID and noted that it said Stark and then rolled his eyes as he flipped it open. "Yes Tony?" He said as he stepped inside of the café and scanned the area to find Tsunade. He suddenly felt somewhat worried about how she might react to everyone within the slightly closed up space.

 _"How's Tsunade doing on her outing?"_

"Well so far she's almost died a number of times involuntarily playing chicken with buses and cars, she's nearly walked into several telephone poles, a tree and some light poles, her temper is showing, and she just seems really, _really_ out of it."

 _"Oh. Sounds like you've had an eventful half hour. Do you want me to send one or two people to join you and help keep an eye on her?"_

"Shut up. We still haven't gotten any shopping done so we'll be a while longer unless something else happens. So...maybe help would be for the best... But only if she doesn't see them. I want to see how she reacts to various situations before she totally flips out."

 _"Alright. I'll send Cap to help you out, but he'll be in civilian clothing and keep a fair distance so that he can access her reactions to things to."_

"Alright. And tell him to bring a car. I don't know what all she's planning to get while shopping but we may need something with four doors and big trunk."

 _"All the better to stuff dead bodies in- cool. Alright, I'll tell Cap. He should be in the area within ten minutes."_

"Thanks."

 _"No problem, kid. Stay out of trouble."_

"It's really not me that you should be saying that to."

 _"I know. Just hang tight."_ Tony said as Ben's phone was disconnected, leaving him with an earful of dial tone.


End file.
